Vittal Temple - Vittalapuram - Temple

HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDS :

16th Century temple built by Krishnadevaraya. It is the only separate temple in Tamilnadu for Lord Krishna. The manifestation of Krishna is one of the incarnation of the Lord sri Vishnu. Another from of krishnavataram is Vittala and is deity of the Vijayanagara Kings. The inscription refers this placeas Vittalapuram and was built by Krishnadevaraja in 16th Century a.d. This temple consist of the sanctum sanctorum, ardha mandapa, mahamandapa, fortified walls, gopura, a sanctuim sanctorum, ardha Goddess and sub-shirne for other dieites, which reflect the beauty of the architecture of the Vijayanagara period.

In the sancturm sanctorum, the deity ‘vittalam” is in a standing posture with a conch in the left hand and depicting ‘Abhaya’ mudra in the right hand. four Tamil inscriptions are found in this temple. One refers to renovation and conduct of chariot festival during the period of Sadasiva Raya in 1558 a.d.

Another refers to the gifts offered by Lakshminathan of Mavalipuram (Mahabalipuram). There is a separate temple for Vittalar in Hampi, capital of Vijayanagar kingdom in Karnataka. in srirangam, there is a separate sanctum sanctorum, in the Ranganathar temple. But Vittalapuram is the only place in Tamilnadu which has a separate temple for Vittal.